Tufting attachment for sewing machines



March 2, 1937. L. CROUCH 2,072,496 TUFTING ATTACHEZENT FOR smwmeMACHINES Filed Oct. 1936 2;,Shgets-Sheet 1 March 2, 1937. CROUCH2,072,496

.I'UFTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 9] 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 'rur'rme ATTACHMENTMACHINE \FOR SEWING Leonard L. Crouch, East Gastonia, N. 0..

Application October 9, 1936, SerialNo. 104,772 I 1 Claim.

My invention relates to an improved tufting attachment for sewingmachines, and has for its object to provide a device that is simple inconstruction and efiicient in operation and which is adapted to co-actwith the stitching mechanism of an ordinary sewing machine for thepurpose of producing tufted articles.

The invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of theparts and combination of parts hereinafter more fully set forth in thefollowing specification and pointed out in detail in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front end elevation of a sewing machine having myinvention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail elevation, partlyin section, of myimproved attachment Figure 4 is an enlarged detail side view of thelooper and cutting blade.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming. part of thisspecification, and in which like reference numerals designate like partsthroughout the several views thereof, l designates a sewing machine ofany well-known type and having a head 2, the said machine I beingsecured on a base-3. The head 2 is provided V with the usualreciprocating needle bar 4,

in which is carried the needle 5, having the usual eye for receiving thetufting thread 6. The tufting thread 6 is fed from a spool and anysuitable form of tension may be employed in connection with the tuftingthread. The sewing machine employs the usual means to reciprocate theneedle, also the usual pressure foot I carried by a reciprocatingpressure bar 8 which can be raised by the finger lever 9. The sewingmachine also employs a work feeding means to advance the work from theoperator including the dogs In operated through an opening in the base3, said dogs are rigidly mounted upon the dog support bar it I. At oneend the bar H is connected to the link, pivoted to the crankv l2 whichin turn is rigidly secured to the rock shaft. it. At its opposite end"the bar llll'is provided with a fork it for the reception of a roller itpivotally mounted at it upon the crank H which in turn is rigidly.mounted upon a rock shaft it. It might be stated at this point that themovement of the rock shaft it serves to move the dog carrying bar itlongitudinally while the movement of the rock shaft it serves to raiseand lower the same; The

foregoing description is that of an ordinary sewing machine such as nowin general use.

The attachment comp a bracket-i9 which is rigidly clamped to the lug2|], integral with the base3, by means of the bolt 2|, and is providedwith a forked lower end 22. In the forked end 22 of the bracket I9 isadjustably secured a hub 23 which is held in the adjusted position bythe bolt 24 and lock-nut 25. The rock arm 26 is mounted On the hub 23and has its upper end connected to the projection 21 of the bar H and isrocked back and forth by the action of said bar I l. The upper end ofthe rock arm 26 is provided with a laterally projecting looper 28, thelower edge of which is sharpened to form a cutting edge. The arm 29 issecured to the hub 23 by the bolt 30 and is prevented from turning onthe hub by the pin 40 which projects through the said arm and into thehub 23. A cutting blade 3| has itslower end pivoted to the upper end ofthe arm 29 at 32 and its upper end is provided with an aperture 33 inwhich the ball 34 projects and upon which the cutting blade isfulcrumed. The said ball 34 also projects into the aperture 35 in thelooper 28. The cutting blade is held tightly against the looper 28 bymeans of the spring 36. Between the spring 36 and the cutting blade 3|is a washer 31 having an aperture 38 into which the projection 39 of thespring 36 extends which holds the said washer securely in positionagainst the cutting blade and forms a bearing surface for said cuttingblade. When the bar Ii operates to move the goods being tufted along themachine it causes the arm 26 to rock and move the looper back and forth,at the same time operating the cutting blade to cut the loops as thegoods advances. When the needle descends the looper moves out toward theneedle and as the needle starts to raise it leaves a slight loop throughwhich the looper projects and as the goods move forward the looper movesback and forth catching each loop as the needle starts to move up,leaving some of the loops on the looper as shown in Figure 4 and eachtime the arm '26 is rocked it cuts one of the loops as the looper startsto move forward. The arm 29 being stationary on the hub 23 the blademoves up and down each time the arm. 26 is moved back and forth.

It will thus be seen that by using the ball M as a fulcrum point withthe cutting blade, instead of a 'pivot, there will be practically nowear and the blade will always remain accurate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

in a tufting machine comprising-a stitching mechanism including'areciprocatory needle to t 1 :3 thread thro fabric and form loopsthereunder, a Work feeding bar having a projection on one end, a bracketsecured to the under side of the machine, a hub rigidly secured to thelower end of said bracket and adjustable thereon, a rock arm mounted onsaid hub and adapted to be rocked by the projection on the work feedbar, a. looper secured at one end to the upper end of the rock bar andhaving a cutting edge and an aperture extending therethrough, an armhaving one end rigidly secured to the said hub, a cutting blade pivotedat its lower end to the upper end of said arm and hav= same to hold thecutting blade securely in posi- 10 tion.

LEONARD L. CRQUCH.

